BetMcLean Cup: Tomas Galvin nets brace as Dungannon beat Newry City 4-2 in extra time

An entertaining quarter-final tie took place one week on from a controversial postponement due to traffic delays, with both teams inseparable as the game ended 2-2 after 90 minutes.

However, Dungannon scored twice in the second period of extra time to wrap up a keenly fought victory.

After a positive start from the Swifts, Steven Maguire made an excellent save from Newry striker Cahal McGinty after Dungannon failed to clear a free-kick.

Dungannon saw a huge chance go begging when Adam Glenny picked out Ben Gallagher, who was unable to convert despite being all alone in the area.

The hosts pressed forward and created another opportunity, but Glenny opted to pass to Matty Lusty with just the keeper to beat from a tight angle, much to the frustration of boss Rodney McAree. The chance came to nothing when Darren King read Glenny’s pass.

Lusty was involved again just after the half-hour mark when he found Ben Gallagher unmarked, but the forward placed his effort wide when he really should have done better.

A penalty appeal was waved away by referee Lee Tavinder when Ciaran O’Connor slid in on Gallagher in the Newry penalty area, with the home fans feeling O’Connor had stopped the ball with his arm.

Newry almost took the lead after the break when John McGovern played in Adam Carroll, but Swifts’ keeper Declan Dunne got down quickly.

There was drama when Newry assistant manager Michael O'Connor was sent to the stands for voicing his displeasure following a tussle between Lorcan Forde and Ethan McGee, with both players receiving a warning from referee Tavinder.

Glenny was left to rue another missed chance when he headed straight at Maguire after being picked out by McGinty as Dungannon again missed a golden opportunity.

Minutes later, the home side took the lead when Lusty created an opening inside the area for Gallagher, who made no mistake from close range.

Dungannon’s lead lasted only three minutes as Newry fought back, with Adam Salley heading Thomas Lockhart’s corner home to level the scores at 1-1.

In a whirlwind final five minutes, Newry took a 2-1 lead when Paul McGovern was set up by Lockhart and finished with aplomb past Dunne in the 86th minute.

Dungannon, though, weren’t finished and kept their hopes alive when Lusty again provided the assist, this time for substitute Tomas Galvin, who shot past Maguire with two minutes of normal time remaining.

The first period of extra time finished scoreless but Dungannon picked up the tempo in the final 15 minutes and moved 3-2 ahead when, almost straight from the kick-off, Galvin fired home from Joe Moore’s cross.

Maguire made a fine save from McGee to keep Newry in the game but it was all over when Kealan Dillon latched onto Moore’s cross and tucked the ball away to make it 4-2.